Fastener



. (No Model.)

W. v. THOMPSON.

FASTBNER.

No. 572,735. Patented Dec. 8, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATE T OFFIC WALTER V. THOMPSON, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,735, dated December 8, 1896.

Application filed February 11, 1896. Serial No. 578,938. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER V. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fasteners, of which the following is a specification; I

My invention relates to those devices which are designed to fasten together the overlapping edges of shoes, gloves, and other like articles, but is especially designed for use upon shoes.

It is essential in order to produce a fastener which will be capable of satisfactory use upon shoes that it be simple and not liable to get out of order, and also that it be very cheap and capable of being quickly fastened and unfastened. It is also highly essential that the fastening be so arranged as to not easily become accidentally unfastened. Furthermore, such fasteners must be compact and inconspicuous.

My invention is designed to take the place of the ordinary buttons used upon shoes and to avoid all unsightly appearance of the fasteners, so that when the shoes are fastened in position upon the feet of the wearer they will present practically the same appearance as ordinary Congress gaiters.

My invention comprises the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts which I employ in producing my fastener, whereby the device is rendered very cheap and simple and so compact that the seam or edges where the two members are fastened together is made of practically little more thickness than it would be were the edges secured together by stitching.

My invention also comprises the means which I employ for stifiening the edge of the overlapping member and still give sufficient flexibility to avoid restricting the motion of the foot and to allow the fasteners to be readily fastened and unfastened.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective side elevation of a gentlemans shoe provided with my improved fastener. The shoe is shown partly fastened, and parts are broken away to expose the construction. Fig. 2 is aperspective side elevation ofone of my improved clasp-eyelets secured in place upon the upper or overlapping member. The top of the eyelet is removed in order to expose the construction. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of my improved spring clasp-eyelet. Fig. 4is a perspective view of another form of my device. This form is practically the same as projects through an openingin one side only of the barrel of the eyelet instead of through both sides thereof. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional View showing two members secured together by means of my improved fasteners. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of one of my edgestiffeners.

In Figs. 1 and 5, A represents the base or under member of the two members to be fastened. To this member are secured the studs B, having prongs b, adapted to pass through the base A and to be clenched in the ordinary manner.

D is the upper of the two members to be fastened, and 0 represents the eyelet, which is composed of the base-plate 0, having projecting prongs c, which are adapted to pass through and clench upon the upper member D to retain the eyelet in position with relation to such upper member. From this baseplate projects the barrel 0, which is provided in its opposite walls with slots or openings c.

0. is a washer, cap, or head which slips upon the top of the barrel and is secured by bending or clenching the upper end of the barrel down upon it, as shown in Fig. 5, or in any other suitable manner.

F is a U-shaped spring arranged embracing the barrel, and has its members f f arranged to project through the slots or openhead I) of the stud B when the stud is inserted into the barrel, as shown in Fig. 5.

The upper member D is provided withan larger than the barrel 0 of the eyelet. This opening forms a chamber in which the spring F is chambered, so that I thereby avoid making the barrel of the eyelet of any greater length than the thickness of the member D, and I allow the spring perfect freedom to play through the openings in the barrel when the that shown in Fig. 2, excepting that the spring B. These studs are each secured to a plateings 0" into the barrel and to engage with the opening d, which is oblong in shape and is IOO stud is inserted into or withdrawn from the barrel.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the barrel provided with round holes 0, drilled through opposite sides of the barrel, and have shown the spring F having the ends f of its members bent inward and arranged to project through the openings in the barrel and to engage with the head of the stud B.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the barrel C slotted upon one side only and one member only of the U-shaped spring arranged to project through this slot and to engage with the end of the stud.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 5 I have shown encircling each eyelet independent U-shaped wire stiffeners E, which are extended out near to the outer edge of the upper member and from thence along parallel therewith and are bent downward at the outer closed end, as shown in Fig. 6, and are arranged between the upper member D and the protectin -strip E, which is secured to the upper member to cover the eyelet, so that when the upper member is secured to the base member the stiffeners will stiffen the edge of the upper member and the curved outer ends will press the edge of the member D and hold it down smoothly and firmly upon the member A. By having these stitfeners separate from each other the edge is rendered flexible enough to allow it to be easily attached to and detached from the base member, and yet is sufficiently stiff to hold it firmly and smoothlyin position.

I have shown the upper member provided with elastic D, which permits the clasp-eyelets to be readily fastened upon the studs, allows for any inequality in the foot of the wearer, and also serves to take up any slack.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown the eyeletbarrels provided with a shoulder 0, arranged upon the front wall of each barrel and adapted to engage the head of the stud, so that when the stud is in place in the barrel the elastic will draw the stud firmly against the shoulder, and the shoulder will thus relieve the spring F of nearly all of the strain of retaining the stud in the barrel.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination set forth of the upper member provided with the metallic eyelet; the independent stiffeningloop arranged encircling the eyelet and extending outward close to the edge of the upper member and extending thence along approximately parallel with such edge; and the covering fastened upon the upper member and arranged to cover the stiffening members and the eyelet.

2. The combination set forth of the base member having the stud fixed thereto; the u pper member provided with the opening larger than the barrel of the eyelet; the eyelet having the side wall of its barrel provided with the opening therein an d arranged in the opening in the upper member; the spring, chambered within the opening in the upper member and arranged to project through the opening in the barrel and to engage the stud when the stud is inserted into the barrel, said eyelet being pro vided with prongs adapted to enter the upper member and to hold the eyelet rigidly in position with relation to the upper member.

3. The combination set forth of the base member having the stud attached thereto; the upper member provided with the opening larger than the barrel of the eyelet; the eyelet, comprisinga base having prongs adapted to be clenched upon the upper member, a barrel having slotted sides, and the upper member or cap of the eyelet adapted to fit upon the upper end of the'barrel and to be secured thereto; and the spring arranged within the chamber in the upper member and having its side members projecting through the slots in the barrel and adapted to engage the stud when the stud is inserted into the barrel.

4:. In combination, the stud; the eyelethaving its side wall provided with the opening, and its front wall provided with a shoulder arranged to engage and support the stud when the stud is in place in the barrel, and the spring arranged projecting through the opening in the barrel and to engage the stud.

5. In combination, the base or under member provided with the studs; the upper or overlapping member provided with the claspeyelet-s arranged to chamber the studs; the independent stiffeners, each arranged surrounding an eyelet, and each having its outer end bent downward to hold the edge of the upper member firmly and smoothly down upon the base member; and the protectingstrip secured upon the upper member to cover and hold the stiffeners in position.

6. The combination set forth of the base member provided with the stud; the upper member; the eyelet secured to the upper member, having the side walls of its barrel slotted and its front wall provided with the shoulder arranged to engage the stud when the stud is in place in the barrel; the spring arranged to project through the slots in the barrel and to engage the stud, and the elastic inserted in the upper member and arranged to draw the shoulder of the eyelet into engagement with the stud.

W ALTER V. THOMPSON.

\Vitnesses:

ALFRED I. TowNsEND, JAMES R. TowNsENn. 

